Device for inspecting transparent threaded glass articles such as insulators



. E. D. COUNSELLOR, JR DEVICE FOR INSFECTING TRANSPARENT THREADED GLASS ARTICLES SUCH AS INSULATORS Filed June 28, 1947 May 15, 1951 I 4 I l Mum,

Patented May 15, 1951 DEVICE FOR INSPECTING TRANSPARENT THREADED GLASS ARTICLES SUCH AS IN SULAT ORS Edward D. Counsellor, J r., Millville, N. J assignor to Armstrong Cork Company, Lancaster, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 28, 1947, Serial No. 757,854

5 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a device for inspecting threaded glass articles and, more particularly, to a device for inspecting the threads on the interior of glass insulators or similar articles.

In the manufacture of glass insulators from colored glass, such as amber, or the like, considerable difficulty has been experienced in examinin'g the thread on the interior of the insulators due to the thickness and translucent nature of the glass. In the past, this has been accomplished by placing the insulator over an illuminating means, such as an electric light bulb, to disclose any defects in the thread. The use of this device has resulted in a large amount of breakage of light bulbs. Furthermore, due to the small size of the thread cavity in the insulator, it was not possible to use a bulb capable of producing sufficient light to properly illuminate the threads to enable the inspector to properly see the threads and inspect the same for defects.

In order to overcome the difficulties experienced with the previous insulator inspecting device, I have developed an instrument in which a frustro-conically-shaped core of transparent light-conducting material is placed in the in- 2.:

sulator thread cavity, and light from a source disposed beneath the core is transmitted through the core and out to the threaded cavity of the insulator. This device overcomes the diificulties experienced with the old type inspecting device described above by providing a core over which the article to be inspected is positioned, said core being sufiiciently strong to prevent damage caused by the articles being placed thereon. This device also makes it possible to use a stronger source of light which in turn makes more light available for transmission to the interior of the article to be inspected.

An object of this invention is to provide an inspecting device for glass articles in which a transparent core is used to transmit light from a light source to the interior of the article to be inspected.

A further object of this invention is to provide an inspecting device capable of supplying sulficient light to the interior of a threaded colored glass article to enable the inspector to detect any flaws in the glass or in the formation of the thread.

In order that my invention may be more readily understood, it will be described in connection with the attached drawing in which there is shown an elevational view of my insulator inspecting device partially in section, showing an insulator in position to be inspected.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown a chamber 2 housing a light bulb 3 connected to a suitable electric current source. Positioned in the top of the chamber 2 directly over the light bulb 3 is a frustro-conical1y-shaped core l of transparent material, such as Plexiglas, which is a methacrylate resin, Lucite, which is a methyl methacrylate resin, or other transparent light-conducting material. This core 4 is shaped to conform to the interior of the thread cavity of an insulator such as that shown at 5. The core 4 is so designed that when an insulator is placed thereon, the bottom skirt of the insulator will contact a roller 5 positioned on one side of the core 4. This roller 6 is rotated by means of a belt 1' connected to a suitable motor 8. The purpose of this rotating roller (1 is to rotate the article being inspected about the stationary core 4 so that the inspector is able to inspect the threads around the entire inner circumference of the thread cavity.

In order to facilitate the transmission of light from the core to the threads in the thread cavity, the core 4 is provided with a roughened surface which, in the embodiment illustrated, is a plurality of grooves 9 cutting the surface of the frustro-conical core. The purpose of these grooves 9 is to increase the angle between the light rays passing up through the core from the light bulb and the exterior surface of the frustroconical core which may contact it. It has been found by experiment that the amount of light transmitted from the core to the threads is much greater if the core has a roughened surface instead of a smooth surface.

Instead of the scoring shown in the drawing, other means of changing the surface configuration of the core may be used, such as roughening the surface by means of sand paper or other ma terial, in order to enhance the transmission of light from the surface of the core to the thread area to be inspected.

In the operation of my device, electric current is supplied to the light bulb 3, and the light rays produced by this bulb pass up through the trans parent core 4 placed directly above the light bulb. The electric motor 8 imparts rotary motion to the roller 6. The insulator to be inspected is placed over the transparent core 4 with the bottom skirt of the insulator contacting the roller 6. Inasmuch as the roller 6 is rotating, the insulator is rotated about the core 4, and the inspector is able to properly inspect the insulator for defects in the thread or other defects which might be present in the molded glass article.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that the same is not so limited but may be otherwise practiced within the scope of the following 'claims.

I claim:

1. A device for inspecting the interior of transparent hollow articles, said device comprising a housing containing illuminating, means, an article-supporting core of light-conducting material having one. end, thereof disposed in the proximity of the field of light of said illuminating means and extending through an opening in the housing, said core of lightconducting material being suitably shaped. to, fit into a cavity of a transparent hollow article to be inspected to support the same, a roller positioned on the surface of the housing adjacent the core of light-conducting material, said roller being adapted to engage the periphery of an article supported by the core, and means. for imparting rotary motion to said roller to rotate the article with respect to the core and the. hous- 2. A device for inspecting the interior of transparent hollow articles, said device comprising a housing containing illuminating means, an article-supporting core of light-conducting material. having one end thereof disposed in the proximity of the field of light of said illuminating means and extending through an. opening in the housing, said core of light-conducting material having a roughened surface and being suitably shaped to fit into the threaded cavity of, a transparent. hollow article to support the same, a roller positioned on the surface of the housing adjacent the core of light-conducting material, said roller being adapted to engage the periphery of an article supported by the core, and means for imparting rotary motion to the roller to rotate the article with respect to the core and the housing.

3. A device for inspecting the interior of transparent hollow threaded articles, said device comprising a housing containing illuminating means, an article-supporting core. of light-conducting material having one end thereof disposed in the proximity of the field of light of, said illuminating means; and extending through an opening in the housing, core of light-conducting material having a scored surface and being suitably shaped to fit into the, thread cavity of a transparent article to be inspected to support the same, a roller positioned 4 on the surface of the housing adjacent the core of light-conducting material, said roller being adapted to engage the periphery of an article supported by the core, and means for imparting rotary motion to the roller to rotate the article with, respect to the core and the housing.

4:. In a device for inspecting the. interior of transparent threaded colored glass insulators or the like, the combination of a chamber, illuminating means within the chamber, a lightcond'ucting rodprojecting from the chamber and having one, end thereof disposed in the chamber and within the field of light of said illuminating means, said rod being shaped to be received within the threaded opening of a transparent insulator to be inspected, a plurality of projections on said rod for diffusing light from said illuminating means throughout substantially the entire length of the threaded area of the insulator to be inspected, and means for rotating the same to present the outer surface thereof to the view of the inspector with the diffused light from said illuminating means illuminating the interior of said insulator.

5. In a device for inspecting the interior of transparent threaded colored glass insulators or the like, the combination of a chamber, illuminating means within the chamber, a light-con,-

ducting rod projecting from the chamber and having one end thereof disposed in the chamher and within the field of light of said illumihating means, said rod being shaped to bereceived within the threaded opening of a transparent insulator to be inspected, a pluralityof projections for diffusing light from said illumihating means throughout the entire threaded area of the insulator to be inspected, and means engageable with said insulator for rotating thev same to present the outer surface thereof to the view of the inspector with the diffused light fromsaid illuminating means illuminating the interior of said insulator.

EDWARD D. COUNSELLOR, JR

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,539,626 Bartlett May 26, 1925 2,247,258 Shepard June 24, 1941. 2,247,737 'Weeks: July 1, 1941 2,468,663 Green Apr. 26,, 1949 

